Collecting & Showing Data
Tally charts record data in groups of five — four strokes and a gate: 卌. Count tallies to get the frequency (how many).
Bar chart rules the exam checks: equal-width bars, gaps between bars for categorical data, both axes labelled, frequency axis starts at 0 with an even scale.
Pictograms use a symbol for a fixed number — ALWAYS read the key. If ⚽ = 4 goals, then half a symbol = 2 goals.
From the bar chart: how many students took part, and which fruit is the mode (most popular)?
6 + 8 + 4 + 2 = 20 students; tallest bar = Orange (the mode).
The tally for “walks to school” shows 卌 卌 III. What is the frequency?
5 + 5 + 3 = 13.
In a pictogram, 🍞 = 8 loaves. Tuesday shows 3 whole symbols and one half symbol. How many loaves?
3 × 8 + 4 = 28 loaves.
How many MORE chose Mango than Apple?
6 − 2 = 4. “How many more” always means subtract.
Q1. Write the frequency shown by the tally 卌 卌 卌 II.
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Q2. From the bar chart above: how many students chose Banana or Apple?
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Q3. In a pictogram 🚌 = 10 learners. Route A shows 4 whole symbols and one half. How many learners use Route A?
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Q4. Which type of data is “favourite radio station” — categorical or numerical?
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Q5. A learner draws a bar chart where the frequency axis starts at 3 instead of 0. Why is this misleading?
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- Ignoring the pictogram key — a symbol is rarely worth 1.
- Bars of different widths or no gaps for categorical data.
- Uneven frequency scales (0, 2, 4, 7, …) — keep steps equal.
- Answering “how many more” with the larger number instead of the difference.
Paper 3 usually opens its statistics question with a chart read worth 1–2 marks. Core sharpens the numbers next: mean, median, mode and range in S-C1.